


Crafting A Connection

by LostInQueue



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben's Rey's manager, F/M, Feels, Fluff, HEA, Snow Storm, Snowed In, Valentine's Day weekend, one bed, really light agnst, working at a craft store
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:14:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22283191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInQueue/pseuds/LostInQueue
Summary: Rey and Ben have been friends forever, so much so that Ben never dreamed that it something as small as getting that manager's position he'd been gunning for would get in the way of it. Now that it has, Rey's been distant. So... so distant and he has no idea how to get her back.Rey has only been trying to be a good friend and not use him for his status, which means instead of accepting rides from him like she had, she hasn't. She isn't trying to push him away but things are different, and he's difficult now. What on earth can she do about it?Mother nature has something to say about these two, that's for sure.  The snow storm of the year is coming, stranding the two together the Friday before Valentine's Day weekend to give them the time to work things out.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 11
Kudos: 43
Collections: For one is both and both are one in love: The Reylo Fanfiction Anthology's Valentine's Day Exchange





	Crafting A Connection

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tmwillson3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tmwillson3/gifts).



Winter in the northeast is a crapshoot. Every year it’s something different. In fact, just last year it was seventy-four degrees and sunny on Christmas Day. It was certainly one Rey vividly remembered being that she spent most of it outside in shorts and a t-shirt waiting for the sky to open up and dump two feet of snow on her all at once. It didn’t, however it did change drastically the next day.

For two years it's been like that, and judging by this year, it would be the same given it’s nearly fifty degree temperatures well into the beginning of February. 

Since the weather held out for so long, Rey found it easier to walk to work from home than it was to bum a ride off of her crush who also worked at the craft store. He had been promoted to manager several months back after saving the company from swallowing a huge loss of goods. The items were found in the back, books had been corrected and he’d even gotten himself a raise over it. It was all well and good for the company, and him, and that was great, but the change put a strain on their friendship.

Her problem was how close they’d been before this. Not to mention her constant interest in him that had her battling with whether or not it was right to pursue him now. He was her manager and that made her wonder if things could ever work out between the two of them. Not to mention the perks she’d undoubtedly be accused of. 

_ Why did life have to be so hard? _

Rey didn’t want his power, even though getting a second break and use of the forklift was ideal...she wanted him because he’d always been exactly who she needed. Sweet, gentle and kind… not to mention his charming good looks…  _ good _ wasn’t the word for it. He was a damn dream boat, not that she liked boats, but if he ever asked, she’d be on a one without hesitation. She’d even go down with the ship. But none of it actually mattered because they were never really around bodies of water that weren’t much more than overflowing toilets.

The thing about her job in particular was Rey is a jack of all trades, which literally meant if she wasn’t stocking, she was on the floor, if she wasn’t there she was on register. If she wasn’t on register, she was helping redesign the store layout, or bring out seasonal goods, or janitorial work, all of which made Ben Solo look like he had his shit together. He did, in a way, but that was more within his own life. He’d been given this opportunity to manage the craft store and planned on using the length of time on his resume, which he talked about, and often, making her wonder if he was just going to leave one day. 

Today she’d made it to work with ten minutes to spare only to find she’d killed her UGGs. Killed them. The thick sole was so thin in some places she was sure she had holes in them. Rey huffed a sigh and proceeded to bite her thumb nail wondering how she could craft new, identical, soles and attach them. Not even superglue worked when her sneakers started peeling… so what would fix these now? 

Rey set off into the isles of supplies to come up with a plan completely forgetting about checking in to find a way to fix her boots.

“...I heard six to nine inches, then ice overnight,” someone in the next isle said. 

“Maybe you should recheck. They’re calling for a state of emergency…” another customer chimed in. 

“No…” several more added their surprise to the conversation. 

_ No  _ indeed, Rey rolled her eyes. It was mid fifties when she got in, there was  _ no _ way the temperate was going to drop thirty degrees before her shift was over and dump that kind of snow on them.

None. 

And yet it was hard not to listen in as they yammered on about the several feet of snow they were destined to get. The group got exceedingly noisier when they discussed concerns for the wind speeds and white out conditions… it had them in a state of panic far before there’d been a cloud in the sky. 

Again she rolled her eyes half expecting to find something, anything, to fix her problem, but found another just as she turned to leave the isle. All six foot three inches of Ben Solo in his cute, red manager’s vest that _ obviously didn’t come in his size, _ had materialized out of nowhere. His lips were pressed into a firm line, while his eyes lit up with strings of questions she would never know. 

Instead, she got, “Sneaking in?”

“No?” her answer felt more like a question, a snippy one too. 

_ That sounded worse than it was, didn't it? _

Ben’s inhale through his nose made her suspicious… it was worse… wasn't it? The girl couldn't help the way she cringed at that. 

“What time did you get in then?” he finally asked. 

“Ten to three.”

“Any idea what time it is now?” Ben tried to casually put his hands in his pockets but decided on clasping them behind his back instead.

“Three?” Rey guessed. 

“Try quarter to four.” 

“What? There is absolutely no way that its nearly fo--” Ben cut her off by showing the face of his phone to her. 

Yep. Right there was a clear notation of the time, 3:41pm, close enough to a quarter to, so Rey didn't bother lifting a finger to it. 

“Yeah,” he mumbled, putting his phone back into his back pocket. “Why haven't you clocked in if you were here this whole time?” Ben paused, “How did you get here anyway?”

“Walked,” Rey forced a smile even though she knew he wouldn't be happy about it.

“You walked in--that?” he looked her over. 

Rey had on her red company polo with an ivory on cream striped long sleeve shirt underneath. Along with it, she had her signature “almost pants,” the legging style slacks that looked more like “yoga” pants than actual pants but thinner and those good for nothing UGGs he watched her dumpster dive for several years ago. 

Rey sees the way his eyes travel over her like he’s trying to decide if he should pick it apart or not and watches as his face morphs from wanting to then back to deciding against it within seconds. 

“It’s not cold out…” Rey countered. “And it’s always a sauna in here.” 

She wasn’t wrong either. While the fans were on and keeping the shop ventilated, the warmth there called out to older women looking to shop and parents with young children. Often times the parents brought their spawns to try to knock them out with the heat alone.

Ben found it was good for business. A few extra dollars to heat the space for a few extra hundred dollars in sales seemed like the right trade off. 

“It will be,” Ben clicked his tongue. “It will be…”

Rey’s eyebrows furrowed. 

_ What does that even mean? _

“I can’t have you reversing the clock to check in, so just punch in now and we’ll deal with it at the end of the pay period,” Ben said, looking up from where they’d been standing to see a mother hush her two year old’s tantrum over wanting a string of beads. “You’re here till what? Six?” he asked, trying to decide if he needed to go and offer them help. 

“Till close, actually,” Rey corrected him, getting his full attention again. 

“Stocking?”

“Yeah, it’s that time again.” 

Ben nodded, not having to bring up the obvious that this would truly be a long night. 

Instead, he made his way over to the mother clearly having trouble with her child and Rey pivoted to remove herself from the situation.

She practically raced through isles to get to the back of the building to the break room in order to punch in but every turn had her running into practically seas of people. 

_ It couldn't be that big of a sale _ , she thought. 

Every last aisle, even the one with wooden dowels and doll furniture which never had visitors had them like there. It was an utter human maze to push through until Rey actually made it to the office door of which she shut and leaned on immediately after entering. 

There were not that many people in the shop a second ago. 

What happened?

Rey’s mind raced trying to sort out the reasoning behind this significant change, only to watch several of her fellow co-workers get their bags together and retrieve their coats. 

“What are ya doing?” she couldn't help but ask. 

Both Poe and Finn looked at each other before replying confidently, “leaving.” 

“ _ You’re quitting _ ?” her surprise was evident enough to pull a lopsided grin from Poe. 

“No, no… it’s gonna get bad here in like an hour or so and we don't want to be caught in it.”

“Yea,” Finn echoes his friend. “I don't  _ do  _ snow.”

Rey could only scoff, “It’s not going to snow.”

“Keep tellin yourself that,” Finn interrupted

“My advice to you is to get out as soon as you can. Don’t get stranded. Not even the deli down the street is gonna be open much longer,” Poe informed her. 

“Yea, Charlie’s place?” He waited a beat to lock eyes with Rey so he knew he had her full attention. “Yea he was boarding up his windows. It’s gonna be a real shitstorm tonight!” Finn added. 

Rey watched them pack their bags and move out into the crowd, desperate to leave. She couldnt believe how cowardly they were being, how stupid this was, ready to pat her back at not going through with the hype. This storm was not going to be an issue and that was final, especially if she had anything to do with it. Rey did, however, take their notations on food, making her way out to get it for later instead of sitting tight in this hot sardine can. 

.*.*.*.*.

_ Alright _ , so it did get colder, Rey noticed especially in her thin ass pants she admittedly wore specifically so that Ben would notice her, but that didn't mean it would snow like everyone was gossiping about. Speaking of everyone, Rey looked out into the parking lot expecting to see a sea of cars, or maybe lines of double parking, or even assholes on the sidewalk too, instead she saw a single car… Ben’s forest green Sable. 

  
  


She grimaced knowing full well that not only did she clock in, but she left without punching out, and even worse, Ben was the  _ only one _ in the shop _. The only one…  _

For a moment she thought there was no escaping this. It had been far too cold now to walk home, especially with her bags of food, which she  _ did  _ buy food for him and maybe this act of kindness could be overlooked because of that. Rey squinted at her reasoning hoping to sound so much more confident when she delivered her lines to her boss, but when she stood in front of the automatic door it hadn't moved. 

Did Ben lock up? 

  
Rey walked away from it and then back at it, quicker this time, again resulting in no movement. She tried different techniques several more times before she decided to rest the bags of food on the sidewalk beside her. The very moment she had, the doors opened. 

Had it all been a cruel joke? Or was it just that the damned things were too old to sense motion? Regardless, she made it in out of the cold, only to get stopped by the second set of doors. 

“What are the odds!?” Rey growled. 

This one was locked though. It very obviously showed it’s red light to the left of the motion sensor where the other did not. Ben must have done that after kicking the last customer out. Why  _ did _ he do that by the way? It hadn’t… Rey’s eyes went wide at the start of a few fluttering snowflakes falling in clumps then exploding into shards of themselves all over the ground. 

She couldn't help the shiver that shook through her, especially as the whipping winds hammered themselves against the glass barrier. She whimpered her manager’s name just loud enough to be heard but found herself retreating to the floor to bury herself in a pile of packaged No-Sew blankets. She rested her food against the wall, still in their bags but no longer out in the open before arranging the rest of the packages around her to wait out the night. 

Unfortunately for Rey the cold kept coming, sinking into every fiber in those damned blankets that could hold it. This was not working, she admitted to herself. Then she forced the thought of wanting in again, which also made her pull out her phone to call the store. 

The phone rang and rang and rang… several times she tried to get him to pick up, that is, until she tried his cell. Neither of them had been calling the other or texting for that matter, on the regular since he’d been promoted. Rey had her reasons and Ben never initiated, so what was the problem?

She had his number and...well, as bad as it sounded, now was time to use it. Not him, she corrected herself. She’d never use him… she just wanted in. 

To her surprise, the line never rings, instead he picks up and doesn't say a word. 

“B-B-Ben?” Rey asks, her voice shuddering involuntarily while she speaks. She doesn't hear him… she thinks she’s somehow gotten his voicemail and goes for it anyway. “I-It’s-s c-c-col-ld,” she yawns, then asks a little more soundly if he could possibly let her in. “Th-Th-the-s-do-o-o-rs-, the doors are, are- they’re locked.” 

She hears heavy footsteps make their way to the front, each a little quicker than the last. His metal key hits the lock at a speed she was sure could have broken the thing - and that could cost him. But it was all said in the way he gasped at her makeshift fort that made her wonder. She watched him while he batted away the strange assortment of colored blankets until he could drag her to her feet. Rey felt weightless and heavy all at once, still turning to rescue the food she’d been trying to protect. 

“I’ve got it,” Ben reached for the bags, then double checked them because he was surprised at their weight. “What did you--”

“Poe said it was gonn-na be b-b-bad,” she shivered, moving in towards the glorious heat just to slide back behind a register that could shield her from the cold air now coming into their safe space. “It, I, I didn't believe him, but wan-nted to make sure w-we had f-foo-od in case w-we g-got snowed--in.”

Ben sighed and looked around the shop, then out into the darkening night, the snow falling rapidly now, and offered her a ride home. 

Rey, though, shook her head. 

it was the last time he could take her rejection. 

“Why won't you let me help you, Rey? You’ve been pushing me away since, since I got this stupid vest. What? Did you want this thing?”

Rey could only shake her head, unable to form sentences while she continued to shiver. 

“Then what? Do I make you uncomfortable? Is it me? Am I the reason you don't even look at me anymore?”

“N-no,” she answered. 

“Then? What is it?”

“I… don't want to…”

“Tell me? That’s great Rey, so while you get yourself back together, why don’t you get yourself a cab and get out of here?” Ben grunted, making his way back to the office. 

“Use you…” Rey finished. Her words were softer than his footsteps and most clearly were missed based on the very fact that he hadn’t slowed down. 

Instead of going, she waited, letting the heat of the building help her thaw. It gave her time to think too, had she been hurting him this whole time? Questions swirled around in her mind trying to figure out the man she’d just encountered. He was nothing like the Ben Solo she knew all that time ago. He was clipped, to the point, and sad. But it wasn't just that he was  _ sad _ or sounded like it… it was more complex than that, like it bothered him to be in the same room with her too. That hurt. He was always sweet and kind before this… what happened? 

Rey looked around at the Valentine’s Day goods all set up behind the register. A bunch of sappy, oversized, sparkling eyes looked down at her as if they could give her the answer. Were they? Did… did Ben have goo-goo eyes for her? Was her pushing him away hurting him? 

Memories of their times together before this mess got her thinking. There she could linger. There he seemed so young and carefree. So willing to be there just for her...

_ Oh, oh, gods it was!  _

That's why he came to her rescue. That's why he stormed off…  _ oh _ ! What an idiot she was!

Rey found herself gathering the bags beside her and made her way to the break room to find him staring at the weather report. Glaring it it really. Whomever it was that made the latest comment had been right. _It was_ _a state of emergency._ They were already experiencing white out conditions, four inches had already covered most of the area, and Ben couldn't help his anger about being stuck in this crappy craft store overnight with this girl that did not give a damn about him. 

“Ben?” Rey asked for his attention, but he didn't budge. “Did you have plans?”

“Plans?” he answered, keeping his voice unbearably low. 

“Yeah, I mean… it’s Valentine’s Day weekend, and I figured maybe you could get on home to--”

“Save your breath, there isn’t anyone to get home to,” he interrupted her acidly. 

“Oh…I mean, I’m sorry… I shouldn't have… I’ll just -” Rey points at the door. 

“You can't. Unless you’re looking to walk home, which I seriously doubt, given the state of disrepair your shoes are in.”

_ How’d he know? _

“I’m pretty certain you won't be making it much more than a block without getting some kind of frostbite.” Ben happened to look away from the screen at that moment and she wasn't sure if she should be surprised he knew or more so that he cared. 

Instead of saying anything she nodded and left back into the floor. 

.*.*.*.*.

  
  


The one storm of the season and he just has to be stuck  _ here _ with  _ her _ …

Just six months ago everything was fine. She was different. Happy to see him and all, and then what? What changed? She’d become stand-off-ish. She’d find anyone else to chat with or get rides home from… Ben pursed his lips at that last one. Giving Rey a ride to or from work lit up his whole day. Sometimes she’d be quite and he just knew she was off planning away… or other times she’d be all riled up and ready to bring a fight. Boy, that girl had some road rage on his behalf too which made him think that  _ maybe it was better _ she walked everywhere instead of owning a car. It was for the best. He snorted at himself, adding that the exercise was probably worth it. She did look good… and all. 

But that was never the trouble for her. Rey had a natural beauty women could only dream of. Well, not just women… him too. She wound up on his mind regardless of whether or not she was avoiding him. He’d been stuck with visions of her that would leave him breathless, even the most unflattering ones would knock him out too. 

Ben, in a sense, was just a love sick fool making a mess of things. 

What did he just say to her? 

Did she say anything back? 

Ben’s head whipped around from the screen to find that she did leave. 

She didn't really leave did she? Not in this… fuck, he swore under his breath. If she left and got hurt or froze it would be all his fault!

Ben panicked making his way off of the folding chair and out to the main floor. He couldn't help but feel foolish when he did but he just couldn't allow her to go. Navigating the poorly kept layout, Ben found himself checking each aisle and half aisle, the ones that turned abruptly thanks to the divisions across the middle. Oh, how he would have loved to rip it all out and organize it properly but it wasn't his shop and this man was already one on a mission. 

He rounded one isle, then the next, finding her picking up merchandise the crowd must have trampled on their way out. He smirked about that. It was, after all, his brilliant plan to get them out after some douchebag claimed they were going to use the space as a shelter thanks to the heat on it’s own. That was it! Off it went. Ben purposely asked what the problem was when people started leaving, knowing full well what he did. 

Ben knew he’d be kicked in the balls for that thanks to that little brat, karma, that followed him around on the regular. She’d be back to take it to him at full force but until then, he was satisfied. The moment everyone was out, he locked the doors and made a beeline back to the system to crank it back up, figuring that if he had to be there, at least he wouldn't catch his death of pneumonia for it.

Maybe locking the door was too drastic, he kicks himself for the way he found Rey in a pile of those scrap blankets like a little homeless lady, but what was he going to do? Not lock up? Those people were talking about squatting which meant he wouldn’t be able to leave them and go home. And what’s worse, not even the cops would have been able to “rescue” them being that there would be a whole lot to get through just to get them at the very end. It was just a clusterfuck. Honestly, there was no other way to handle that. 

Ben circled back from his thoughts looking to find her again. What was he going to say though?  _ Oh, I’m glad you stayed?  _

That would just let down his walls. 

Why would he do that?

In the time it took for him to come up with something to say, Rey had found super glue and mold setting kits, two of them, and a pair of slipper socks for the meantime before heading to the cash register to pay for the items. 

“Whatareyadoin?” slid right out of him. 

What was  _ he _ doing? He was  _ engaging _ in conversation with her. Her! 

“Nothing,” she softly replied, tapping in her code. 

Ben watched her scan her items and make to leave the register towards the back. 

“It doesn’t look like nothing,” he said.

Rey halted, even her hair seemed to swoosh around her before she turned back to face him. “Yeah, I mean… I just figured it wasn’t important,” she rushed out. 

Ben’s brow furrowed, “but it’s important enough to buy?”

“Yes, I well. Ben, I’m not going to steal it,” she rolled her eyes at him. 

  
  


He could feel the sigh building. She didn’t want to talk to him or include him…

“It’s for my boots,” Rey admitted, stepping out of them one at a time. 

He saw red when he noticed just how badly worn the were. Ben sidestepped her, grabbed as many socks off of the peg as he could and offered them to her. 

“Ben?”

“Take them,” he shoved them into her arms. 

“But I-“

“Rey, please,” he replied sternly. “I’ll buy them, but please just let me help you.” 

Watching her eyes well up with tears made him feel like shit.  _ Great _ ! All the more reason for her to avoid him now. 

“Thank you,” she whispered. 

And in that moment his world seemed to stand still. Was that a “thank you,” thank you? Or was that a “thank you, I appreciate that?” or was it a “thank you now hold me?” the hair on the back of his neck all stood up at once on the last thought. 

It honestly took all his nerve to look back into her eyes to speak at that point. “You’re welcome,” he replied just as softly, but then his body betrayed him. A surge of nerves ran through him and there he was, walking away from her as she had been doing to him.

He felt like an idiot.

He could have said something else, or helped her in another way,  _ anything _ to get more time, and he freaking ran away. Well, he didn’t exactly run but managed to get a way faster than he would have liked to. 

Idiot… 

.*.*.*.*.

  
  


Just an hour later there had been reports of power failures across the city. Damages from nearly sixty mile per hour winds had many places looking more like they’d been hit by vehicles in multiple directions. It was bad…  _ really bad _ . 

If only his junky Sable _ was anything but _ a junky Sable which decided to stall the moment he’d made it into the parking lot. Then he would have had the chance to get out of there… but… then he wouldn't have been able to right things with Rey. Even if they wound up only being friends out of this, at least they could be talking again. It’s what he missed the most. Her quick wit and smile. She lit up his life, really, and maybe this was destiny’s way of forcing them back together. 

Destiny...

His stomach started to rumble and immediately he wondered what it was she went out for in the first place. Opening the refrigerator, he found the two white shopping bags that looked more like she went out on the town than to get food. But there it was. Food, and so much of it. Charlie’s Deli stickers could be seen on the fold of each plastic bag and he counted at least eleven, maybe there were more, but he’d honestly lost his train of thought when Rey came in. 

“Charlie was afraid he would lose power, or more… so he was practically handing it to anyone who came in. Figured it was best to let it go to the people rather than to the garbage,” she mumbled. 

All Ben could do was nod. 

“Hungry?”

_ Very _ .

Ben nodded his head again. 

“There’s rolls in the other one.”

Who puts rolls in the fridge?

“I know,” she answered even though he hadn’t asked anything. “it's just what we do at home. They keep a little longer when they’re… never mind.”

“Can you stop doing that?”

_ Shit _ . 

“Stop doing what?”

“Where you trail off like what you have to say isn't important,” he replied. 

“Oh, um,” Rey paused. “You just don't look like you want to know so I stop.”

“I don't look like I want to know? But I asked for it. I _ want to know.” _

“Oh…”

“So the bread?”

“Oh, we just do that at home. That's all.”

“It’s  _ not _ all. Tell me,  _ please _ ,” he asked, no longer interested in the food. 

“It’s nothing. You don't need to worry about it. It’s just what we do to keep it from spoiling. That's all.”

“But its bread, not eggs.” And then it hit him. It’s why she found uses for everything she touched. Rey must have known what it was like to go without. 

Jesus, how could he be so blind?

“Anyways, um, wanna eat?” she redirected the conversation. 

“Yeah,” he paused again, doing his best to drop it. “yeah, let’s eat.”

.*.*.*.*. 

  
  


After they ate Ben asked to help Rey with her boots while she’d slip and slide around the store. It was proving to be entertaining, but so help him, she was warmer than those damned boots were ever going to make her. It was certainly no world record but he was sure getting seven pairs of slipper socks on her was a feat, and certainly not doing it to give her a hard time moving either. 

For the record, she  _ did _ goad him on.

She  _ did _ smile at him, even braced herself on his shoulders while he fought with the fifth pair. From there on in it felt like they’d been bonding again, and he’d gladly do it all over again just to relive it.

Who was he kidding? 

Even trying to repair those shitty boots made him relive it which in turn made him smile. He wondered briefly what she would have done if he stole a kiss in any of those moments, if it would be over for him or she’d hold him closer. The thought seemed to linger far longer. Looking up from his seat, he’d noticed her bouncing around and even trying to slide with the obnoxious amount of stretchy fleece stockings around her feet, but there she was, moving constantly, in and out of the supply closet to the corner of the store where all the crappy wood crafts had been. And it’s not to say that he didn't enjoy building an actual bird house with his Gramma that one time when he was a kid, no, this was knock off doll furniture, the alphabet, and a few frames that had seen better days. It was nothing interesting at all, and yet, she kept going back there. 

Ben put down the boots, got up and started sauntering over, carefully. He did his best not to make a sound - he really did not need to relive any of the moments where he’d scared her. None. Nope… those bruises never seemed to go away. And so he made it over to her, peeking around the corner of an aisle she obviously moved to make a … well, she made a wall with it. Sure a lot of items were still facing outward on their pegs, but it was a wall for sure. 

What could she possibly need a wall for, he wondered, shuffling a little further to the end of the divider. While he moved he could hear her shuffling bags and cursing up a storm capable of quieting the howling winds outside. 

Strings, they were literally strings of curses, none stopping for much more than a quick breath each time, and then she stood up all too quickly to claim victory on the self righteous foe. 

Below her victory stance had been the clear bastard of a project she’d concocted. From foot to floor, Rey had been creatively inclined. She made -  _ made _ \- a mattress with the thick, durable door fabric that was easily forty dollars or more a yard, stuffed with presumably all the packaged stuffing, rolls of batting both in plastic and wrapped for per yard cuttings too, knowing her at least. That's what he thought she was arguing with, to be honest due to the way one side looked compared to the other. The left, just past her looked as though she stuffed a body in it, and the right had been well packed to the point of near flawlessness. The thought crossed him that maybe they just ran out of materials. Ben whipped his head around to check, the wall of fabric looked as though it had been cleared out...

What the hell?

Where’d it all go?

“Oh,” Rey rounded the corner, walking right into him. “Oh, um,” she laughed nervously. “I wouldn't, um, I wouldn't go in there yet.” 

“Yet?” Ben croaked. Was she making something for them to share? He could feel his blush covering his face and working it’s way up to his ears. “What’s in there?”

“Oh,” she clasped her hands then dropped them nervously. “We’ll, we’re stranded, and will be for a couple days,” Rey swallowed. “I just thought, it might be nice to stay warm and sleep in something more comfortable than the folding chairs, is all.” Rey’s eyes seemed to widen and she started to correct herself, promising him he could have the space and that she didn’t want him to think less of her for only making one bed. 

Ben couldn't help the way he stopped her. His hands rested on either side of her shoulders, meant for her face, or better still, around her like a hug. A freaking hug would have been perfect! But he dropped the ball,  _ again _ . Instead, he got this, and her full attention. 

“This is perfect. Really. I would have bundled up on the cutting table, so really, Rey, thank you. This is great.” He could have literally died when she leaned in to hug him. 

Maybe he did die and this was a happy dream set back in the recesses of his mind that had been letting on to a last wish service. It couldn't have been though because there she was, holding him tight and snuggling in between where his crappy vest and polo separated, and promised that no one deserved to sleep on that dirty table. 

It wasn't dirty, perse but so many fabrics hit so many different hands before being handed off for cutting, it just really couldn't ever be cleaned, not well anyway.

Ben hummed at the thought, then asked her what she was doing in there. As it turned out, she’d managed making a spring board, without the springs and set it up on top of shipping pallets too. She mentioned the few times the floor flooded thanks to the water table they were on out there and wanting to avoid it if the same happened this time. 

“Also, it keeps us off the cold floor.”

“For what reason?” he happened to ask. Of course he knew why, but it was something in the way she was holding him that made him feel stupid and needed to hear her say the words hed been thinking. 

“Well, for starters, heat rises,” she said.

Ben groaned and hoped she could see how he’d been affected by the thought.

“And if we do lose power, I’d like to keep the warmth we’d have.”

Yep, that was it, Ben was a goner. The man was dead for sure and this would be the longest Valentine’s Day weekends he would ever endure. Part of it was a scary concept while the other had him giddy as a child at Christmas. 

.*.*.*.*. 

  
  


It was late and Ben was all done waiting. What else could she have really needed to put in there?

It wasn't like he needed anything else. And so he made his way over to it. The finished project had been completed with several layers of blankets, throw pillows he knew she pulled from the seasonal section, a stand in side table made out of a trash can, he thinks. On it there’s a vase with little glass halved marbles and some pale pink flower sticking up out of it. The other side, the one he figured was for him had something similar, but also on the surface of the night stand was a little black remote control. 

What on earth?

They didn’t even sell electronics - unless a sewing machine was considered one. 

How’d she get that?

The only television that was in the facility was the one in the break room too and that piece of crap  _ didn’t even have  _ a remote.. He followed his thoughts to look back at it, only to find Rey on the ladder trying to reconfigure the monitor to play with a fire stick.

That was it. It was absolutely it… Ben strode up alongside her and swept her off her feet. She screamed and elbowed him in the face but it was worth it.

Her arms eventually wrapped themselves around his neck and he’d seen stars, not because of her grip, but because of their contact. If this was a dream, he never wanted to wake up from it. He could be in a coma for all he cared, because  _ this _ was exactly where he wanted to be. 

.*.*.*.*. 

Rey’s surprise died on her lips the moment she’d seen the way he looked at her, so light and full of life. He was, well, him again. Before the promotion, before she put distance between them… it was just him, Ben Solo, the boy she missed for so long. 

He looked at her like no one else had. 

Ben could make her feel special without words…

It’s what told her to lean in. It’s what told her to hold him closer. It's why she told herself not to cry and failed when she did. 

“I’ve seen it, you know,” he said, clearly without thought. His eyes wide because of his confession. 

“Our room?” She squeaked.

_ Our room… _

“Yes,” he gulped. 

“And what do you think?” Rey asked, then started babbling nervously about every last detail as he came up on the space. 

“It’s perfect,” he promised her. 

Never being much of a crier, she couldn't seem to hide the way his appreciation affected her. 

“You like it?” 

“Like it? Rey, if it were up to me we would be engineering a line of folding chairs…”

Rey spit a laugh but assured him that it wasn't true. She was far more confident in him than he could possibly know. 

“I mean, we are in a craft store. There really is a good chance you would have come up with something,” she promised.

“Not like this,” he assured her. His eyes flicked up to hers wondering if it was a common thing. Her subtle smile seemed to be all he needed which had him hauling her over to the firmer side, before placing her in the middle of it.

The bend of it alone had her worried it may not have been enough, and yet, he simply climbed on and under the layers of fabric along with her not mentioning the obvious. Rey’s heart fluttered, his continued closeness made her feel like they were getting somewhere and in that moment, she let herself hope. 

“Rey?” she heard him ask and her mind raced looking for anything to cut the weight of this moment; anything at all not to feel the need to run. 

“I was able to rig us up a tv,” she said, rolling away from him.

Ben’s large, warm hand caught her around her waist and she panicked. 

“Thats, nice…” he said. His voice low, as if he was trying to process where she was going with that. “...but I don't need it…”

Unsure of herself now she sank into the space between her arm and the throw pillows she used for their heads. Rey wanted to disappear and now would be good. It would be just perfect actually...

“I need you…” he whispered. 

It was as if a dam broke within her. Rey sobbed into the blanket, unable to face him. No one ever said that, and she was sure he never would. Not him. Ben deserved so much better than someone like her she told herself.

Ben made his way closer to her, carefully forming himself to her side. He laid there silently with her until she shed her last tear and onward into the night. 

It felt like hours before she’d been able to face him again, but instead of looking at him, she’d rolled over onto her side and found him there. Unmoving, like a fortress. One she could find comfort in, always. 

“I n-need you too-o,” she whimpered and his hold on her only solidified that. 

Again they laid in silence, only listening to each other’s breathing. The makeshift mattress creaked and the plastic within it was just as distracting as the wind outside. Neither made another sound, that is, not until there was a banging sound followed by flashing lights. 

“Did you call for a rescue?” she asked nervously. Would leaving this space mean they would leave this night and their newfound relationship behind?

“No? Did you?” Ben squinted down the aisle.   
  
Rey shook her head. 

“Do ya want to go?” she heard him ask. His voice dropped like hers would when she felt defeated. 

It was when she knew this wasn't a dream, that what they had was real…

“Not really,” she said, watching a small smile formed on his face. “I mean, we have what we need here, right? Food, heat, shelter... “

“Each other,” he added softly, his smile widening as hers did. 

“And each other,” she agreed, then pulled him close pressing her lips to his before she allowed the feeling to retreat. Her eyes fluttered closed and all she could feel was a him. Time stood still and layers of their stresses between themselves faded away too. 

She could feel him cradle her against him, his grip both soft and strong only made her need him more. She had to tell him, had to say it. She loved him so deeply she could combust if it didn't come out.

And yet… the thing she wound up saying instead made her feel like a child again.

“Will you be my valentine?” she breathed, their lips parted just fractionally. 

Time felt like it began and the length of it building between them scared her all over again. That was stupid, why did she say it?

But then there he was, his lips pressing onto hers again, his tongue darting in her parted ones still open from her beguiling question. She felt his answer there, building her higher and higher. Yet, she felt the need to hear him say it. Anything. A “yes” would be enough. 

Just as the thought left her, he broke from her, moving so that she could see the promise in his eyes when he spoke. 

“For as long as you want me, Rey. I’m yours,” he whispered back.

“I’ve always felt a connection with you, Ben,” she sniffled. 

“You have no idea how long I’ve needed to hear this” he cupped her face with his palm. “... you pushing me away made me feel like I was dying.”

“I’m sorry, I,” she stopped when he hushed her. 

“You don't need to apologize. I probably aided to it anyway…” he snorted at himself. “But the point is, I’m here for you. For this. For whatever you want it to be. You’ll always have me.”

For the first time in Rey’s life she felt a remarkable amount of calm flow over her. There was no need to keep her walls up, or stay silent.

She could run off on a new horizon with the man of her dreams. 

“Is forever an option?” she asked and heard him laugh. 

“Yes, forever is an option.”

“Then that’s the only one I want.”

  
  


.*.*.*.*. 

  
  
  
  



End file.
